Thank you so much for your poetry recommendations following my discombobulated post about Pablo Neruda (and haircuts and dragon cake). You’ve led me to not only new heartsong poems to whisper through, but also poets to look up when I’m next feeling mopeypants.
I wish I could thank you by giving you chocolate. Alas, the laws of time and physics (and, let’s be honest, privacy) prohibit me from showing up at your homes tomorrow with parcels in hand, but I can at least give you a chocolate review.
That’s almost as good, right? Wait. Don’t answer that.
Moonstruck Dark Chocolate Chile Variado
Everything about this Moonstruck Dark Chocolate Chile Variado was lovely, lovely, lovely.
It was lovely because it was a present from a dear family friend in America, Carolyn. For the past twenty years, Carolyn has never failed to send me perfect gifts of chocolate, candy, books, and jewellery. Carolyn’s sense of fun and generosity of spirit make me truly glad that she and my mum became friends way back when I was a wee munchkin child collecting Carl’s Junior star-shaped toys in Orange County, and even gladder that they’ve stayed friends ever since.
This chocolate was lovely because of its stylish, whimsical packaging, and because of its simple vegan ingredients list: cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla, chipotle pepper, and ancho pepper.
This chocolate was lovely because of its glossy black shiny gorgeously embossed surface, and because of the way it snapped with a crisp, well-tempered crack, thereby proving that Moonstruck chocolates are high quality and made with care.
It was lovely because of its aroma of smoky chilli, muscovado sugar, and Mexican hot chocolate, the kind so thick and spicy that you want to drink it with a spoon, slowly.
This chocolate was lovely because its flavour enveloped me from the moment I took a crisp yet softly-melting fudgy nibble, and because I closed my eyes and tasted rich cocoa, cornbread, spice nudging through to prickle the back of my throat, vanilla bean ice cream and clotted cream and a light, soft, yet full chocolatiness utterly devoid of astringency and bitterness.
The 68% dark chocolate base felt almost cooling on the tongue, and was a welcome balance to the heat of the chipotle and ancho peppers, which offered up smoky fruity spiciness and a little tickling burn. There were notes of melting butter, fairy floss, toffee, and caramel, all enveloped in a rich deep dark chocolate that felt like a soft warm blanket bundling me up with a pillow of nuanced spice and sweetness.
Just lovely, lovely, lovely. I could eat this forever.
You’re lovely too
Aw, Lou!
Such a pretty block!
I was almost scared to eat it
Oh my, that sounds amazing! Hey I don’t have a problem with you showing up on my doorstep bearing the above mentioned chocolate. The way you describe it, I don’t need any persuasion.
Teehee, if only I hadn’t eaten in all already
Oh my! I can’t decide which one looks prettier: the wrapper or the chocolate!
Let’s compromise: the wrapper is prettier, but the chocolate is tastier.
OOooh, that’s a work of art – outside and inside!
I may or may not have squealed a little bit when I unwrapped it.
I would buy it just for the pretty wrapping
A gorgeous review!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
My guess is that’s their aim
Definitely almost as good – especially with those PICTURES on the chocolate! And those flavours. And indeed everything! I really, really want to try this
Lovely indeed – and a lovely review, as always!
Thank you Kari! Fancy a trip to Portland with me to pick up some more?
Any time
Oh wow this is the prettiest looking chocolate I’ve ever seen! I love your blog btw! Great to see another Canberran blogger!
Aw, thank you so much! That means a lot
Your blog is fun too, but it won’t let me comment – I’ve been trying on several posts and there’s no comment box showing up! Might be a glitch in my computer…
Moonstruck has very lovely packaging and molding, I think the beaver is my favorite part of the image:) When I had this a little over a year ago, the molding was different, it said Share if you dare on it. I thought the bar was quite tasty, too. I didn’t share.
Where are the pictures of wee munchkin you hoarding your star-shaped toy collection?
I *meant* to save some for my mum, seeing as how she loves Lindt’s Excellence Chilli.
But I ate it all. Whoops.
*laughs* I’ll have to check EVERY SINGLE PHOTO my parents ever took that my dad has scanned into their computer system. It’s incredible. All our photos, ever… *shakes head in wonder*
I forgot to mention, I’ve nominated you for the “7X7 Link Award”, it’s a fun meme and I hope you’ll participate!
Thanks Delia, I really appreciate it! I think I mentioned on your blog that I’ve done it before? You can find it here
Thanks for the link, it would’ve been difficult to find it otherwise.
I wasn’t sure whether to add it; I didn’t want to seem like I was spamming you
You know I love some heat with my chocolate – I’m drooling over your description, and the cool embossing make me want it even more!
It’s like seduction-by-embossing.
Beautiful bar!
Can I just say that I was in love as soon as I heard the name? And the bar is a work of art!
Me too! We need more wonderful Australian chocolate makers with mad embossing skillzzzz.
I am happy to waive the privacy laws, if thats what it will take for you to show up tomorrow with parcels in hand. A choc review is certainly not almost as good, but I guess laws of practicality and wishful thinking apply
*laughs* Maybe one day, if I become rich and can travel the world delivering chocolate instead of working…
Yay! A chili chocolate bar that delivers!
And delivers in spades. Woot woot!
It does look lovely! And so is your descriptive post.
Aw, thank you
I love the wrapping! And it sounds divine.
Now that is a truly beautiful bar, almost like a work of edible art. I’ve never seen anything molded quite like it! On top of that, I do adore the pairing of chocolate and spice. I can easily see why you’re so taken with it.
Yes, it confused my poor little brain. “Is it art? Is it food?” I’m scared I’ll get confused again later and end up trying to eat Blue Poles at the National Gallery.
oh i am in love…..
It is truly a work of art. An edible one at that!
I’ve only just tried my first chili chocolate and stole a sip of my friends hot chili chocolate drink. Now I feel cultured and worldly but not sure if it can take the place of chocolate and fruit. My first love.
It always surprises me that chilli and chocolate is still a strange combination to many people, but that’s kind of awesome too. So many people yet to have their worlds blown…
I’m the opposite to you, though, I tend to really dislike squidgy fruit in my chocolate!
Wow! Love that the packaging is embossed onto the chocolate! Just gorgeous.
WANT TO GO BACK TO AMERICA NOW!
ME TOO I CAN’T STAND IT SOBBING SOBBING.
Oh that cover is gorgeous – do you collect the really beautiful chocolate wrappers like this one? I also hope you have a Willy Wonka style project on the go to work out how to send us chocolate through the computer – I would love that – especially with this chocolate – though it sounds like it might be a wee bit spicy for me!
I’ve started trying to, but all that has really meant is that I have empty wrappers scattered all over the place, which kind of just makes me look like a grot, not artistic
You are welcome to break the privacy laws in order to share. This certainly is a very mesmerising block of chocolate with its fabulous packaging and embossed surface. It looks so good it’s almost a shame to eat it – but then again! xx
That was exactly my thoughts process. “Too good to eat! Too good not to eat!”
I’ll get right onto tracking down on y’alls’ addresses and credit card numbers, stat.
Oh Hannah. I miss you already!
I MISS YOU SO MUCH IT HURTS INSIDE.
Today, I crawled into your office and hugged your computer, sobbing quietly and whispering “backwards on a pig, baby monkey” to myself.
(Also, it would be very amusing if you aren’t E.Moonbeams. But I’m crossing my fingers.)
Aww, a perfect chocolate?!?!?!
I wish I could have tasted it myself, but just looking at the lovely surface print makes me totally believe you!
Hmmm, perhaps not the acme of perfection (it would have to be much bigger to earn that honour
) but very lovely indeed!
wow i love the chocolate engraving on there! the name it self “moonstruck” makes me want to eat this chocolate. i am still not a huge fan of chile inside my chocolate though~
Fair enough! I’ll eat the chilli chocolate, you can have all the orange chocolate
Gasp! Gaspy gasp gasp. What pretty chocolate. For a pretty lady *doffs hat*
Also you’ve reminded me that I’ve only ever had clotted cream once in my life, and I should like to change that.
Oh you charmer you!
I think I’ve only had it a very few times too. Hey, we should totally plan a trip together that involves endless Broadway shows in New York then gallivanting around the English countryside eating endless Devonshire teas! Forward ho!
I think that the packaging is so lovely!! I love green & white together. Glad this was some loveliness for you.
Heidi xo
ps Friday, yay! hope you have some lovely weekend plans.
Oh my yes, Friday yay! I do indeed have some lovely things planned; I’m sure there’ll be much laughter and many hugs
And something akin to a doughnut, at least 
Love the imprint, and I love slowly savouring things with a spoon. Teaspoons are the best. So is curling up on the lounge underneath a blankie
*laughs* I have one favourite teaspoon that I eat pretty much everything with. And I really mean everything. I even use it to cut up the toasted english muffins which I then eat with my fingers
Blanket, couch, tea, and book shall be happening later tonight xo
The package and embossing are lovely indeed. Glad it tasted lovely too. I’ve never heard of this brand before either, it looks worth check ing out.
It’s made in Portland, so I think that’s where your next American adventures should be
I need chocolate now…
(though I doubt I will find anything as pretty in the office kitchen…..)
*laughs* If your office kitchen is anything like mine, the best you’ll be able to do is strange hyper-yellow salty-sweet lemon creams or, if you’re lucky, a lone Tim Tam at the bottom of a glass jar.